~ Finding Happiness Through Fitness, Food, and Fun

Category Archives: Weekend

I have been enjoying it immensely, and I am sad it is over. I have balanced productivity with laziness and fun pretty well this weekend. With a lot of help from bb, the computer wiz, I am self hosted now! Look for the official change in the next day or two. What this means for you is a small address change, but all for the sake of making a better blog. I can’t wait until it is finished!

In other news, my productivity has been challenged this weekend with the addition of the four seasons on Felicity streaming on Netflix.

I am sure everyone is sick of hearing about Irene. I know I am. I am glad that it did not end up being as bad as predicted. So, what did I do over the hurricane weekend?

Friday night Bryan and I went out for dinner fearing cabin fever over the weekend. We checked out The Organic Grill in the East Village. I love the decor and the bright green!

This place has an extensive menu and they serve breakfast all day. Holla! This makes ordering hard though. We sat there for a good 20 minutes trying to decide.

Bryan got the vegetable pierogi made with spelt flour and stuffed with tofu, potato and onion with sauteed kale and a cashew cream sauce. He is a pierogi connoisseur and he said these were the freshest he has had. He was skeptical of the vegan version and the spelt dough, but was pleasantly surprised how much he liked them.

I got a daily special, the Millet Veggie Burger with homemade hummus spread, grilled and pickled onions and sprouts. I subbed my home fries for sauteed kale. And I ate the burger off the bun salad style. I loved the burger it was moist on the inside and just crispy enough on the outside. I would love to try their signature burger too with is made with brown rice, sunflower seeds, mushrooms and carrots. I am a big fan of restaurants that make their own veggie burgers from scratch. You can even buy them frozen from the restaurant to take home.

Then, we found this crazy used music store. It was literally packed full top to bottom with cd’s. Only in New York. You couldn’t walk through without knocking things down. The store is owned and operated by this adorable little old man. He was planning to work over the weekend still. I have to say I was pretty worried about him. I hope he didn’t end up working.

I went spinning yesterday morning (thanks being open and having classes NYSC!) and then I hunkered down with a huge bowl of cherry banana creamy oat bran + egg whites and The Pioneer Woman’s new show on Food Network.

I love the Pioneer Woman because she is a self taught cook and an amazing food blogger. Her pictures are gorgeous. And watching her show you see why. Did you see the size of her camera lens?!?? I had a moment of tech envy.

Later that evening we had a game night/hurricane party with all our friends in the building. First, I whipped up a tofu scramble for dinner with some left over ingredients in the fridge and a bunch of spices.

1/5 block of tofu crumbled with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and red pepper flakes. It is just like scrambled eggs.

Served over left over whole wheat couscous with spinach + cherry tomatoes

Then, there were card games and mimosas. Weird, I know. We were making do with what we had.

It was a fun night indoors and catching up with all my medical student friends.

Today, Bryan and I braved the wind to go out and survey the post hurricane damage. There was a huge tree down in Union Square. And besides some small branches and trash on the streets/sidewalks, there was not too much damage in and around the east side of Manhattan.

It was really windy!

There were actually a number of places open down in the East Village. We ended up heading over to a personal favorite of ours, Mamoun’s Falafel, for a late lunch. I got a lentil soup and Bryan got a falafel platter. This place has really good and pretty authentic middle eastern food. Bonus points – it is super cheap. More bonus points, although it is cheap, everything is made fresh and on site.

There still was not much open since the public transportation system is shut down in NYC, but it was nice to get out and walk around a couple of miles because of all the sitting indoors. With that said, it was also nice to catch up on sleep and relaxing over the weekend. I do not do much sitting still, so at least the storm was good for that.

I also took advantage of the extra time indoors to do some blog work. I got my facebook page up and running! I made a grocery list/meal plan with some new recipes to share, plus a lot of good topics that I am looking forward to discussing with you this week!

If you would have told me a few months ago that would be in Philadelphia sitting at the same dinner table with some of my blogging idols. I would have died right there. Heck, if you would told me that last week, I probably would have chickened out of coming to Healthy Living Summit all together. Yet, there I was last night drinking margaritas and making new friends with bloggers from all over.

Prior to Dinner on day 2 of the summit, we had a packed schedule from 8am-5pm with speakers. There was so much more useful and inspiring information than I ever thought possible. I learned everything from how to write a better recipe to blogger safety. The monetizing presentation blew my mind. I have honestly never even thought about most it. Katy is like the Yoda of the blogging world. She just knows so much.

The talked I enjoyed the most was, The Numbers Game, with a panel by Tina, Lisa, Janetha, and Beth. They all had very motivational, personal, and truly inspirational stories to share on how numbers play a role, or do not play a role, in their goals for a healthy life.

Some of my favorite statements of the day came out this session:

“Weightloss should be a side effect, not a focus” – Beth of Beth’s Journey

“Focus on things you can control” and “Leave the week you took off in the dust” – Janetha of Meals and Moves

“Just do what works for you and own it” – Lisa of I’m an Okie, In reference to not comparing yourself to others

“Focus on the little things, it is going to take time, and that is okay” – Tina of Fitness, Faith, Fun

We were lucky enough to have meals and snacks all day long sponsored by Attune, Great Harvest, and Quaker. The tomato basil bread from Great Harvest – awesome. If you have one near you definitely try it!

We were up early this morning for the final event a group 5k walk/run.

The weekend flew by so fast. I am so happy I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and attend this conference. The experience was more than I could have hoped for. I definitely am already planning to attend again next year.

I want to give a special shout out to Meghann and her helpers Ben and Kelly, and all the other coordinators for all the work they did to put together a really wonderful weekend. Thank you to Quaker for providing great food and a fun speaker, Dawn Blanter RD, LDN.

I also want to thank Ashley for giving me a lot of helpful advice this weekend.

Tomorrow it is back to work and back to reality. Hopefully more blogger meet ups are in the near future!

The weekend went by way to fast. And with the rain literally non stop all day, I had a very lazy day. I did go and see The Help this morning. I live about an 8 block walk from a movie theater. This was short enough to handle the rain and it would get me out of the apartment for a bit. The movie was good, but the book was definitely better. I was surprised at how many guys there were in the theater. There were at least 2 guys there alone and a group of like 5 guys sitting in front of me, a couple of whom were tearing up at the end. I recommend the movie. I think I am a big Emma Stone fan too. I thought Easy A was entertaining and she was really good in Zombieland. Next movie I want to see if Crazy, Stupid, Love – I think she is in that too.

Before the movie I made some Peachy Oats. Yesterday at the green market, I splurged on some peaches. But they were absolutely worth it. Best damn peaches I have ever tasted. I wanted to make a oatmeal bake but it was already 9 am, and I was already starving. Here is my quickened verison.

Impatient Peachy Oatmeal Bake

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup old fashion oats

1 large peach washed and sliced

1 cup water

1/2 cup milk (I used skim but use any type you like) + more for serving

1 T vanilla

cinnamon

dash of sea salt

agave/honey/maple syrup (I omitted this bc the peaches are sweet enough for me but added it to Bryan’s)

While oats are cooking slice peach and put into bottom of ramekins, reserve a slice or 2 for the top

Top peaches with oatmeal and ground flax

Bake for about 10 minutes ( watch to make sure it doesn’t burn)

These peaches are sooo good. If you are not as impatient as me I definitely recommend doing a traditional 35-40 minute oatmeal bake. The flavors will be richer. But this was still really good + I hate waiting.

Dinner tonight was also made from green market produce. One of the favorite things this summer has been zucchini noodles. I bought a julienne tool at Sur la Table and it just makes it so easy (my knife skills are not that great).And it is actually the only time Bryan helps cook too. He loves to do the zucchini.

If you need more to the dish serve alongside a serving of protein or add spaghetti in with the zucchini pasta

My favorite part was the color of the tomatoes.

The dish was so simple, but really flavorful. There is definitely something to be said for cooking with fresh, in season produce. The tastes just pop so much more. Both the peaches and tomatoes I cooked with today are probably the best I’ve had.

I’m going to end this post with a fun little 10 Personal Questions Q & A I saw on Healthy Tipping Point. I like the idea of sharing personal questions, and since I am still new at this it gives me a chance to introduce myself a bit more. So here goes….

What do you have on your bedside table?

No table on my side of the bed because of our tiny ass room, but on the floor right next to me is my iPad, latest issue of Runner’s World and Muscle and Fitness, reading glasses (so grandma I know) and my iPhone.

Do you have a tattoo?

Not yet! Always wanted one. Right now I am really digging white ink tattoos. I think they are more feminine looking.

What is your worst habit?

I bit my nails, and I have always been a pretty bad procrastinator with things I don’t want to do.

How do you handle finances in your relationship? Or, how would you like to handle money in your future relationship?

We basically keep separate finances right now because we are not married. Bryan does do all my taxes though. And the one thing we do have an agreement for is that I pay for the groceries, and he pays when we eat out. I think in the future we will probably have joint accounts both checking, savings, maybe separate retirement. I don’t know. We will mostly being paying all our bills together out of one account I think. Ideally Bryan will be funding the bills but I will physically be paying them. Haha, kidding…sort of.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to?

Something more unique. Ashley is so popular for my age group. Maybe something like my nickname, Lucy.

Where do you want to go on your next vacation?

France or Thailand. If I am staying in the US then New Orleans or Austin, TX.

What is one political cause you feel strongly about?

Education. I think the United States education system is tumbling out of control right now. Everything from the decreasing quality in public schools to funding for college. A good education is the foundation for everything in life I think.

Have you ever stolen anything?

I have stolen in the sense that I take extra sweetener packets for later use at coffee places and at conferences or talks at work take extra drinks and snacks for later or to take home. I do that a lot.

Tell us something embarrassing about yourself.

Bryan calls me fog horn because I am so gassy. I also hate wearing underwear when I am at home. I have always been this way. My mom said when I was little I would come home, strip down, and take off my diaper.

I am feeling super bummed since Friday morning. I had a great run on Thursday morning. Really great actually. It was only 3.1 miles but I had taken Wednesday off and my legs felt good. Unfortunately this good feeling didn’t last. Friday morning on the way to spinning my knee felt kind of funny. This happens from time to time for me. I have mentioned briefly before, I have sciatica and arthritis. In the morning I tend to be stiff or have weird pings, but once I get moving it usually works itself out. After class, I spent some quality time with the foam roller. That also usually does the trick. Hurts like a SOB! But works wonders. Not so much this time though. It is Sunday afternoon, and it hurts to walk.

Now what? I just amped up my running again a couple weeks ago. Everything was going well, and I even decided to enter some longer races this fall. Then this happens. My initial thoughts:

First – What the ****?!?! I just signed up for races and mapped out my training plan.

Second – How do I explain to the blogging world? Everyone is training with milage in the double digits and I can’t even get past 2-4.5 miles.

Then – I am really disappointed! I thought things were going really great and I was pumped.

Then, I read the latest post from Ashley over at Healthier, Happier She talked about how she didn’t feel confident in her long run because other people were running further. I realized that no matter what the situation it is never beneficial to compare yourself to others. Fitness is also something everyone should be doing for themselves, not anyone else. Therefore, it does not matter how far everyone else is running. Just how far you are running.

I cannot change my current situation, but I can change how I am dealing with it. So, in the spirit of Project Think Positive. I am going to take my initial thoughts and turn them into positives. Here is what I have learned from this injury. I cannot change my situation, but I can change how I am dealing with it. This is how I am accepting my injury and what I have learned the past 3 days.

1. Step it back. I am taking a few days off from weight bearing activity and icing it often. Although an injury might not sound like healthy living, knowing when to take a break and how to treat is definitely is.

2. This blogging community is amazing. This is part of the reason I started blogging. Everyone is honest with the obstacles they face and so supportive of everyone else’s. And no one is super human and everyone is susceptible to injury.

3. All hope is not lost. I can nurse this injury for a few days and still have time to train for the 10k in October. I am confident that this is an overuse problem and with a few days off it will be okay.

I am still frustrated, but things could be much worse. I was still able to enjoy Summer Streets on my bike yesterday. And even got a tune up for free! The weather was gorgeous and I also got in a free 20 minute yoga class by Crunch.

And I’ve had some really good food this weekend. You can never complain about that. Friday night Bryan and I had date night at Pies n Thighs – bbq,southern food joint in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. There is a southerner living inside me and she wanted some grits!

I was waiting – not so patiently. Cheese grits now please!

I order the Super Bowl – 3 sides + biscuit. They are known for their biscuits and bbq. Spicy Black Eyed Peas, Cheese Grits, and Watermelon, cucumber, lime, and jalapeno salad. The grits had hot sauce too! Everything was spicy – just how I like it!

Don’t judge this place by the plain outside and tiny front area. The food is good and we sat in the garden area outback. The food is really good, but not great. I did like that the grits were more grits than cheese. I hate too much cheese. Definitely hits the spot if you are craving some southern bbq in NYC. Beware it is cash only though. Bryan said he would return.

Finally, I leave you with the snack I have been enjoying all weekend:

“Chili Fries”

These are not what you think. This is peeled and sliced jicama with lime juice and chili powder. Jicama is an awesome crunchy and refreshing. It is mild enough to be a great vehicle for whatever you want to put on it. This is raw, because I am impatient. But I bet it would be good baked too!

Tell me –

Have you had jicama? What is your favorite way to eat it?

Are you currently dealing with something negative? How can you turn it into a positive?

My bike has been cooped up in the corner of my room all year. That is no place for a bike. I’ve only ever rode down the East River Parkway until just past the South Street Seaport then I get nervous and turn around.

Yesterday morning, I left without a definite plan. I ended up going 10 miles, according to my Garmin, by the time I was done. I even went cross-town for the first time, and rode with the NYC traffic. My brakes work every well, by the way. Thank God! There were two close calls where I needed them. But I survived!!

This ride reminded just how beautiful the city is and how much of it I never get to. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures. I was too nervous and excited for pictures. I just kept pedaling and didn’t stop until I got home. I rode through the Seaport just as they were setting up for the market. Then, I headed to Battery Park right at the tip of the island. The view of the Statue of Liberty was awesome and it was the perfect time of day. As much as I wanted to stop and lay on the grass lawn for a while, dim sum was calling my name, and my stomach was definitely responding.I was starved!I would have skipped showering just to be able to eat sooner, but I was dripping sweat. Already, it was hot and humid.

Dim sum falls under the brunch category. Brunch is my absolute favorite meal and my favorite part of the weekend. Whether we go out or make it ourselves. If you ever do dim sum in Chinatown, I recommend getting there earlier. Bryan and I arrived at Oriental Garden around noon. Between 11 and 12 is right before it gets ridiculously busy. Next door is Jing Fong, the big dim sum place, it already had a huge line. Oriental Garden is smaller, not as hectic, the staff is nicer, and in my opinion the food is much better. We split all our favorites. Started with steamed shrimp in rice noodle, bok choy, and turnip cake. I love the turnip cake.

We also ended up getting steamed pork bun and Bryan got chive dumplings. Everything usually comes with 3 pieces. Bryan takes 2 and I take 1. This keeps portion controls in check and still allows me to try everything.

After eating, we just wandered around exploring. We really haven’t been down to Chinatown in at least 6 months. I always for get how awesome it is. Food is beyond great, the atmosphere is always crazy, and the groceries are so damn cheap! I know produce shopping in Chinatown sounds sketchy. So, I did some research. The vendors, that means shops and street stands, all get their produce from Hunts Point Terminal Market in the Bronx. This produce wholesaler happens to be the largest distributor in the world. It is also where a lot of the grocery stores and restaurants get their wholesale produce.

So it is safe to buy produce in Chinatown. Let your wallets rejoice! And they are not importing non-FDA approved food or growing it in their backyards or anything. It is actually really fresh and ready to eat ripe. That is how they are able to sell so cheap. Ripe right now produce is cheaper. Supermarkets want less than ripe food, so they have time to sell it. The locals in Chinatown are shopping habits like Europeans. They buy daily and they buy fresh. They want it ripe now because it is better eaten fresh, than stored for days. On that note, if you are looking to only organic products, then Chinatown is not the place for you. But if you are looking for something comparable to anything grocery store – and probably better quality, for a better price then definitely check it out. There are several chain grocery stores in the city that always have crappy produce, and I have never had anything bad from Chinatown.

If it was not evident by that speech, I love Chinatown! Here is what we walked away with:

1 pound bok choy – $1.19

1 eggplant – $0.99

Package of Firm tofu – $1.09

1 lb of cherries $3 (these were sweet and delicious! And the purchase I am most proud of

½ lb of fresh cooked shrimp – $3

Bryan for 2 lobsters for $10

And no day out is complete without ice cream. Before heading back we had to hit up The Chinatown Ice Cream Factory. I highly recommend the taro or the black sesame. Sounds weird but they are both surprisingly delicious. No words really. Some of my favorite ice cream. Both flavors actually remind me a little of cookies and cream.

Bryan and I are having a date day. He is actually off this weekend. Say whaaa??? I know right. This is the first time in 13 days the alarms has not gone off at 6 am. Hallelujah!

So, I slept in….which means I was up at 720 and out the door running by 740. Bryan skipped out on this part of date day. I almost did too. But as usual, I am so glad I did. I wish I was one of those people that absolutely loves running and hardly ever has to convince themselves to get up and go. I am not. I like it and usually happy once I am out. But I do not love it yet. Running is hard man and sometimes my legs are just stiff bricks. So, what is a girl to do? Here are some motivational things I found useful this morning:

I remind myself that you never regret a work out, but you regret NOT working out. This usually does the trick. I have found that those common fitness/diet tips you hear so often almost always are true. Hence, the reason you hear them so much.

Negotiate with myself. Maybe I am really sore/tired. Okay, lets do the elliptical instead, or plan a shorter distance. How about just get out and do a mile and check back in with myself. Usually, I find that once I’m out I feel good and can keep going. If I’m still feeling ehh, then I’m done. Something is better than nothing, and I can always try again later.

Dangle a reward. If I get out and exercise, then I can stop off for a good coffee at my favorite place or an egg sandwich on the way home today. I try not to do the reward thing often but on really rough days, why not. Or instead of getting it out, tell myself I will add a special ingredient my usual breakfast when I get back. Say some nut butter or chocolate covered almonds to my oats or something.

Usually one of them does the trick, today I incorporated all three. Still coming off of Wednesday 4.5 mile high. I decided it was fine to do a shorter easy run. Usually, I think to think go big, or go home. But going small is definitely a better option than not at all. I set out to do only 1.75-2 miles. It was a really nice morning and I ended up enjoying a 2.6 mile run and going to down to do something strength training when I got back. Back + Biceps + Abs. I will post the routine in this week in work outs.

Check out the new run skirt:

I got a Champion running skirt at Target for only $15 a few weeks ago and have yet to use it. The verdict! Love it! The skirt is more comfortable than shorts.

After the work out, date day was back on with my number 3 motivational tool. I made Green Monster Protein Pancakes. I actually didn’t think of this until I was on my run. Maybe it is what kept me going further. I’m sure I’ve seen them on another blog a some point and that’s where I got the idea.

GM Protein Pancakes (For 2):

Combine these ingredients into blender and blend until combined

2/3 c. of milk of choice, I used unsweetened chocolate almond today

2 big handfuls of spinach

2/3 c. old fashion oats

1 1/2 scoops of choc. sunwarrior protein powder

1 egg white

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 packet stevia – just a touch of sweetness

topped these with 1 mashed banana (split btw the 2 of us) and walnuts. Bryan also added a drizzle of agave syrup on top.

This made 4 medium pancakes (1/4 c. scoops of batter) and 1 more slightly smaller pancake. Bryan gladly took the extra. I was pumped that he liked them. He is always leery when I start “making weird things.” But I’ve never made a weird thing he didn’t like.

We just got back from see at 1pm showing of Captain America (thumbs up by the way) and eating leftovers for lunch. Salad for me and indian for him.

Now, I think we are off to continue date day at a coffee shop to get work done. Or maybe we will just find ourselves at a Wine bar with outdoor seating instead 🙂

What is your pancake topping of choice? I think some berries dropped into the batter would have been really good too.

When I first moved to NYC 2 years ago, I was here alone. Bryan was not arriving for 2 months, and I did not know anyone. I was living in Harlem with 2 roommates I found on Craigslist. I was so lonely at first. I wanted to get out, but I only had myself to hangout with. After about 2 weeks of moping around, I decided enough was enough. I was going to get out and explore the city even if it was by myself. I’ve had to continue this sometimes with Bryan’s hectic medical student schedule. Once I got over myself and stopped worrying about what other people think, I have found that sometimes I actually enjoy being out by myself. I think it gives you a different perspective and it allows you to appreciate the experience in a different way.

Since Bryan was on call all day at the hospital Sunday, I decided to take myself out. I’ve had some cravings I wanted to indulge, so why not?! I headed down the the East Village to Cafe Orlin. This is a cute little place on St. Marks Street with outdoor seating, and tons of indoor seating. It was pretty busy, but since I only needed a table for 1, I was sat immediately. The atmosphere is laid back and really comfortable. A definite plus for dining alone. I ordered an americano to start and got settled.

I bought Tina Fey’s new book, Bossypants, on my iPad. I love going out and relaxing with a good book/magazine. It also gives me something to do during the wait time. I here on a mission though. I came for the Millet Pancakes. Confession – I have a pancake dance. This is not a joke.

The millet pancakes come with 3 pancakes, a good size portion of beet and goat cheese salad and 3 pieces homemade chicken sausage. This dish was just as good as I’ve heard. Definitely worth a solo dining experience. The pancakes were fluffy and crumbly at the same time, which I kind of enjoyed. I think they would be difficult to make at home. I wonder how exactly they do it. They were were slightly salty, with a corn mealy type taste to them, so with a little bit of the syrup the combo of sweet and salty was really good. Side note – When adding syrup I just dip my fork in the syrup and then run the fork over the pancake to spread it around. I find this enough to get the flavor and just a little sweetness. I had been craving beets all week so I was glad this came as a side. I was also pleasantly surprised by the chicken sausage. There were pieces of veggies mixed in and it had just enough spice. They were also sliced into triangles with was a nice touch.

I ate slowly and enjoyed each bite. Did some people watching in restaurant and really enjoyed laid back atmosphere. They do not rush you at all here, even with the brunch line waiting outside. The girls next to me stayed and finished their drinks and chatted for about 15 minutes after they paid.Overall, this was a really tasty and unique dish. I ate 1 1/2 pancakes, 1 piece of the sausage, and all the beets 🙂 I was a happy bruncher. I took the left overs home for Bryan to try.

After, I did some window shopping around the village and stopped at Stogo on my way back home for one last indulgence.This is a really good, non-dairy ice cream place in the village. They have soy, hemp, and coconut based flavors. My favorite is the blueberries and cream, which they did not have today. Sad face.

I ordered a small with 2 coconut based flavors: strawberry and vanilla chip.

Kind of traditional vanilla, chocolate, strawberry. But so good.

The indulgences ended there though. I had to get home and clean the bathroom. Blahh.

I used to be a very insecure person, so if I can dine alone so can you. I had an awesome afternoon taking myself out.

Here are my tips for dining out alone:

1. Be comfortable/relaxed – If you are all worked up over what people will be thinking than it is not going to back for a pleasurable experience. Everyone else is wrapped up in themselves anyway. Be relaxed and confident. If anything people may be jealous that you are so comfortable with yourself to be eating out alone. Like I said, I used to be very insecure. Dining out alone as helped me to be more comfortable in my own skin and confident in my self.

2. Don’t rush yourself – Eat slowly and really taste your what you are eating. Savor the food since that is way you are there anyway.

3. Read/People watch during down time – I really like to bring something to do. Reading is something I do not have time for much and I like to do it during the down time either waiting for a table, waiting on my food, or between bites. People watching, esp in nyc is always great. Sometimes it was an impromptu decision and I do not have a book. People watching has always proved entertaining. I just do like constantly be on/checking my phone. That is what I used to do when I was nervous and uncomfortable being alone.

4. Enjoy it! – Remember this is a treat and there is no reason not to enjoy it. You would not be out if it were not something you wanted, either to try the restaurant or the a dish.Do you eat out, or do any other activities alone? Love it or hate? I also enjoy going to the movies and grocery shopping alone sometimes.

Welcome to Freckles & Spice! If you happened to stumble upon my blog before the change, I was going by A Healthy Attitude for the first 4-5 months of blog life. To those of you have been following – last change! I promise. I am finally satisfied! Before I kept looking at the blog and I liked it, but it just did not scream me. This feels right. So, now that is out of the let’s get on to the good stuff.

This heat wave is everywhere. Everyone is talking about it and it is inescapable. But for good reason – I still can’t even comprehend looking up the weather and seeing the actual temperature is in the triple digits! Thank god there seems to be a break tomorrow. So what do you do during a heat wave? I take my workouts indoors, eat out because who wants to cook when its 100 degrees, and eat ice cream, lots of ice cream. Not that I need a heat wave for ice cream – it is my one true weakness. I remember one time, back in Syracuse, it was chilly and rainy but it didn’t matter. I told my mom I was literally going to die if I did not have gelato. I was alone in this…

The picture from above is from my homemade dessert Friday night – Strawberry Banana Soft Serve. Sorry personal Hamilton Beach Blender, I know it is hot out but you must get to work! Into the blender went: ~3/4 medium frozen banana, 4 frozen strawberries, a bit of unsweetened vanilla almond milk, and a touch of vanilla extract. Blend away and then I added a couple bits of dark chocolate and Bare Naked granola. No sweetener necessary. This treat is the perfect sweetness just from the fruit!

Saturday after lifting/spinning at NYSC, cleaning, and some laundry, Bryan and I decided to venture out into the heat. Our plan was to walk to down to Union Square to go to the movies. The square is about a mile and is usually a quick walk. It was so hot we had to keep stopping in stores along the way. We stopped into Beecher’s Cheese and sampled some curds. They are super salty, but good.

Bryan loves cheese. I surprised him with it during the grand opening a few weeks ago. You can see them making the cheese.

Stopped for more frozen fruit soft serve before the movie! This one is not homemade, but from Soft Serve Fruit Company. This is the new location in Union Square which is closer to me. Good or bad thing – def. good! We we went to the UES one on my birthday earlier this year. I ordered blueberry soft serve topped with coconut and pomegranate. Really hit the spot and cooled me down.

At Regal, the theaters were packed! Should have known because of the heat. Both Super 8 and Captain America were sold out. So we settled for Horrible Bosses. After 30 minutes of waiting in the theater the movie reel was broken! Ahhh! But now what are we going to do indoors! The good news – they gave everyone each 2 free tickets for the inconvenience. Bought 2 tickets, left with 4!

We spend the rest of the evening browsing strand (got a new cookbook for $8), coffee shop/french patisserie, and astor place wines. We had about another mile walk down to NoLita for our dinner plans.

Dinner! Finally! This was the highlight of the day for sure. Rice in Nolita.

We were watching a documentary on the History Channel about the history of rice. Did you know there are over 80,000 different types of rice?! Insane, right? I can think of like 10…maybe. The featured this restaurant, which I have actually heard a lot about. Bryan and I were really itching to go and it was definitely worth the walk! The decor inside is unique. It is definitely kind of antique-ish with wooden tables and chairs, big old bolts in the walks,low lighting, and cream colored fabric lights. There are giant rice bags lining the rafters. It is really cozy and cute, even though my description does not sound like it.

The menu is ridiculous. It took me 20 minutes to decide, at least. Everything looks good. You get a dish like lentil stew, black beans, curry, and everything comes with your choice of fun rice dish. I finally decided on the Tofu Meatballs (with both sweet and spicy sauces) with the Thai Black Rice with Edamame peas. I loved the rice dish. When I was just cooking for one, I used to eat steamed brown rice with edamame for dinner all the time.

Both dishes were $7. They have small and large sizes and we both ordered the small, which ended up being the perfect size. The large would be good to share. Rice also has a bunch of appetizers and sides that all sound good. We will without a doubt be going back! We want to bring our friends. Bryan said it was the best meal he has had in a long time. He already has plans to get what I ordered when we go back, which I have a feeling will be sometime soon.

Both the black and red rice we got are very nutritious, being rich in the the powerful antioxidants, anthocyanin, and high in fiber. Like brown rice, they both still have the hull on the grains, but they quicker and have more bran than brown rice.

Well, I think that is about all I can fit into this post. Bryan is on call all day today, so I have plans to treat myself to a brunch/lunch I’ve been dying to try and trip to Trader Joe’s. Enjoy the last day of the heat!

My apologies for being MIA the past TWO WEEKS! NO excuses. It is kind of ironic though that as soon as I decide to try and be an every meal poster I go missing for weeks. Ridiculous, I know. Sometimes life gets in the way and sometimes you lose your way for bit. But I’m back for good and with a renewed sense of self. More on that later.

So this weekend was great! I had sort of a 3-day weekend. I did babysit and I did end up at the lab at some point all three days. But it was still good. I think the weather by passed Spring all together and went straight for summer.

Bryan is still in studying mode. All day everyday 9am – midnight. It is kind of depressing, especially over a holiday weekend. But only 9 more days to go! Then, I need to crack down and study for the GRE. Sigh…c’est la vie.

Anywho – this weekend was Memorial Day and despite living in a tiny city apartment, being on a budget, and Bryan being extremely focused on this test, I was determined to celebrate. So off to Bed, Bath, and Beyond I went in search of a grill pan for the stove top. Then, picked up some fresh parsley and cheese sausage from Eataly. And some zucchini from the farmers market. Some good old fashion American grilling was had! Exactly want I wanted.

This particular pan was only $25 (not bad, not bad). It is also a griddle pan on the reverse side for things like pancakes! I’m pleased with this purchase. I’ve been craving grilled veggies and burgers. Seems as though summer is definitely upon us.

Check out Bryan using his hour break to do something manly and fun. Usually, I do the cooking but I think he enjoyed this. He seemed excited about it anyway.

We paired our grilled items with a simple salad: spinach, tomatoes, and balsamic. We were both pleased and surprised that we were able to satisfy our holiday hankering. Who knew you could get a “grill out” meal and atmosphere in a 10 by 10 box?!

This meal was on Sunday and I kept the spirit up on Monday, the true holiday. Monday morning I decided to catch up on blog reading. Not only had I not been posting, I have not had much time to read anything either. I saw a recipe on Kath Eats for her Strawberry Basil Pasta Salad. Pasta Salad – sounds like a summer cook out meal to me. And I had most of the ingredients from the market too, including fresh picked Strawberries. I adapted the recipe a little bit. Kath’s version called for pesto. I was not in the mood to clean the food processor so I combined all the ingredients for the pesto as a quick dressing.

I have to say, I enjoyed this a lot. It was light, but filling. And really colorful. Perfect summertime meal! There is just something about the way balsamic vinegar and strawberries mix together. And the pasta brings it together perfectly. Way to go Kath! Her blog has really become an essential part of my meal planning/ cooking inspiration. Here is what I did:

Toss these ingredients:

1 1/4 c. brown rice pasta, cooked and chilled

1 c. chopped strawberries

1/2 c. cannelloni beans (Kath used navy beans)

1/2 chopped cucumber

In make shift pesto dressing (I didn’t measure anything):

Balsamic Vinegar, roughly 3-4 T

1 T Olive Oil (I did measure this, I’m stingy with my oils)

lemon juice

grated Parmesan cheese

salt, pepper

And serve over spinach and basil leaves. The basil leaves are necessary! They really provide an essential flavor. We also topped our salads with crumbly feta and sunflower seeds. Chilling everything for bit before adding it to the greens would probably allow for the dressing to be soaked up. We just did not have time for that with Bryan’s schedule. But I would recommend it for more flava.

I will return later with an update from what I was up to the past 2 weeks of silence.

Welcome!

Hi! I am Ashley. A life long food enthusiast, but with a newly developed healthy attitude. This blog is a place for discussion about healthy living, as well as a resource for the science behind healthy choices. Freckles & Spice is my commitment to stay on the path towards healthy and active lifestyle and to rediscover myself, all while balancing the fast paced, hectic life of a professional twenty-something living in the city. Thanks for stopping by!

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